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House idioms

English idioms that use the word House, Home or related words.

House

safe as houses = very safe: "This plan is as safe as houses. It can't fail!"

get on like a house on fire = get on very well with someone: "Those two get on like a house on fire."

give house room to = give space in your house to something: "I wouldn't give house room to that lamp. It's horrible!"

eat someone out of house and home = eat a lot of food: "When they stayed with me, they ate me out of house and home!"

get a foot on the housing ladder = manage to buy your first house so that you can buy a bigger second one later: "It's becoming more difficult for young people to get a foot on the housing ladder."

get your own house in order = tidy up your own affairs before criticising other people's: "You should get your own house in order before telling me what to do!"

be on the house = be free (in a restaurant): "Can I get you a drink on the house?"

have a roof over your head = have somewhere to live: "Unless we find another flat to rent, we won't have a roof over our heads in two months' time!"

build castles in the air = have impossible dreams or plans: "She has this unrealistic idea of sailing around the world. She's building castles in the air again."

lead someone up the garden path = deceive someone: "He really led her up the garden path with his promises of promotion and career advancement."

everything but the kitchen sink = take a lot of things when you go somewhere: "They took everything but the kitchen sink when they went on holiday."

throw money down the drain = waste money: "If you ask me, by giving your son all that money, you're really throwing money down the drain."

have a skeleton in the cupboard / in the closet = have an unpleasant secret: "There are a lot of skeletons in their cupboard."

Other expressions with house

housework = chores you do in the house: "She does all the housework."

house wine = the restaurant's own unlabelled wine: "Would you like the house red or the house white?"

house music = a type of dance music: "They played house all night at the club."

house speciality = a speciality of the restaurant: "Garlic oysters are one of their house specialities."

full house = a full theatre: "It's full house tonight."

Home

home in on = become closer to your target: "Police are homing in on the suspects."

there's no place like home = an expression to mean that your home is a special place: "What a great holiday! Still, there's no place like home."

home from home = a place that is as comfortable as your home: "The hotel was home from home."

be home and dry = succeed at something and not expect any further problems: "I'm glad we've got that new client. We're home and dry now."

make yourself at home = make yourself comfortable: "Make yourself at home! Can I get you a drink?"

ram something home = make a point forcefully: "They rammed home the idea that she had to get a good job."

Other expressions with home

home truth = an uncomfortable fact: "She's going to have to sit down and hear some home truths."

home comforts = the things that make you feel comfortable: "Our hotel room has all the home comforts, such as a coffee maker, reading lamp, nice soaps in the bathroom…"

homework = school exercises that you do at home: "Our teachers give us a ton of homework!"

homesick = when you miss your home: "He went away for two weeks, but was terribly homesick."

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14 comments on “House idioms”

alireza

It is great website to improve your English. It is live !, MS Clare reply you after a few hours or days ! I feel I am in a actual English class ! you can ask any type of question and be sure a native English teacher will help you, doesn’t matter in which level of English you are!
Many Thanks to MS Clare.

Myrtho Augustin

This website really help me improving my english. It is quite practical and easy to understand. I am getting use to it everyday until i am able to manage myself the way i want it to . Besides, considering english as the world most spoken language , through this site i find much to learn everysingle day.
Thanks to MS Clare .

XYZ

It is very good website. I have started using Idioms inmy daily life. It is helping me alot.

Thanks !!!

Fernanda

I am an English teacher and I have browsed endlessly for useful vocabulary.This site has been extremely useful. Thanks a lot!

mansoor

I have problems with some of these idioms .could you pleas describe more about them.
house wine,be on the house
Thanks a lot

House wine = wine bottled by the restaurant and cheaper than vineyard wine.

be on the house = be free.
"The aperitif is on the house."

agustine

it's a good website. it's helping me a lot especially in teaching. i'm an english teacher. it's gonna be such a good ide if it can provide more idioms.thanks

Rajeev

Great site for improving my knowledge. I'll try to use these idioms in daily use. I appreciate you for this kind of unique help….

Thanks a lot

M Sarkar

It is really very good site, tremendous helpful.

Thanks a lot.

Yarob

I really find these idioms rather useful and interesting,particularly in teaching.So many thanks to you.Yarob from Iraq-A university instructor.

raif asvaro?lu

I have more than 20 years teaching experience and to be honest I am impressed with what I have seen at Eng.at home.com. Thanks alot. I'll share the materials with my students

Lizzie

I read all the idioms and it's pretty impressive…but,I have a little problem with my homework…I can't find the meaning of "floor of the house".It is used in theatres.Maybe you could help me…

Clare

Do you have a context or example sentence?

Lizzie

Well,I asked my teacher and it seems that it means the middle of a stage.It was used next to terms like ”stage right” and ”stage left”.Thank you anyway.You are great.

Clare

Thanks for coming back to share the answer!
Clare

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